The House That Witchy Built

By: Dianne de Las Casas
Illustrated by: Holly Stone-Barker
Publisher: Pelican Publishing 
Publication Date: July 2011
ISBN: 978-1589809659
Reviewed by: Ellen Feld
Review Date: August 24, 2011

Have you ever been to the house that Witchy built? No? Well, then, lucky you because you get to meet Witchy, peek inside her house to meet her cat (and bat!), and see all the neat and scary things that live nearby in this delightful new Halloween book.

The House That Witchy Built is set to the tune of The House That Jack Built and this tale is definitely one that is meant to be sung! With its rhyming tune and noises that can be made to accompany that text included (in parentheses throughout), this story just begs to have kids participate in the telling:

This is the ghost (boo! boo!)
That spooked the bat (flap, flap)
That landed on the cat (meow, meow)
That lived in the house (creak, creak)
That Witchy built (clap, clap, clap, clap)

The illustrations are bright and cheerful and not at all scary (little pumpkins won’t be a bit frightened to read this book). And while on the topic of illustrations, it should be added that the illustrator, Holly Stone-Barker, has chosen to use a cut-paper and collage technique that really gives this book a unique touch.

Quill says: The perfect story to get young ghosts and goblins in the mood for Halloween.